Boredom Buster Button Spinner

Have you ever made a button spinner? My mother tells me we made them all the time when I was little, but I don't remember it, which is too bad, because it turns out they're quite entertaining.

All you need is a button, with four holes, and some string, preferably heavy string if you have it.

Thread the string through two of the holes, diagonal to each other, tie the lose ends, and position the button in the middle of the string.

With your fingers in the looped ends, twirl the button, to wind the string, until the string is quite tight on your fingers, and then move your hands in, and out, to keep the button spinning.

I caught my oldest on video, as he was demonstrating how to wind the string, for his younger sister (and, I take no responsibility for his ultra-wrinkled shirt, I'm pretty sure he wadded it into a ball, for a game of soccer, before he put it on!)

I was using my digital camera, so there's no sound, which is just as well, since behind him, where I had poured out the buttons, there was a battle of Homeric proportions going on between my two youngest, over a particularly pretty button. But, as the button spins, it makes a nifty humming sound (or the string makes it, as it winds, and unwinds - either way, there's a sound!)

Here's some extended footage of the spinning in action (and no, he's not mad when he looks up, just puzzled by the red flashing light on the camera).

We played all morning with our spinners.

Though, the younger children did require help. For my five year old, I wound the string, and then passed it, in motion to her fingers.

And, for my three year old, I wound the string, and then let her stick her fingers in the loops, with mine, and we kept the button spinning, together

It's great to be a homeschooler.